BitTorrent targets creative pros with new file-delivery service

Designers, directors, and other creative types, this one’s for you: BitTorrent opened its free SoShare file-delivery service to the public Friday.

SoShare is geared toward professionals who regularly need to send huge files to clients without compressing them in an e-mail or going over their storage limits on other services. However, anyone may sign up for the service.

The beta project is part of BitTorrent Labs, an initiative that allows the company’s engineers to develop creative ideas and then get feedback from the BitTorrent community.

File-sending features

After you sign up, your browser will prompt you to download the SoShare plug-in. The plug-in is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari (for Mac users), and Internet Explorer (for Windows).

BitTorrentSoShare's send files pop-up page

The service lets you send files up to a terabyte for free. Photos, songs, movies, and files of all types can be bundled and transferred.

SoShare includes a thumbnail gallery so clients can take a look at the work without opening the file.

The service also includes a notification feature that tells you when your bundle has been opened and viewed. It also lets you stop and resume file transfers using the BitTorrent protocol.

People you’re sending files to don’t need to sign up for SoShare to receive the projects, and you can create public links if you want to share your work on Facebook or Twitter.

How SoShare stacks up

Other file-sharing services, such as Dropbox, have storage caps, or require a monthly fee for unlimited transfers. Kim Dotcom’s Mega file-sharing service offers 50GB of free storage, far exceeding the limits for Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox.

BitTorrentThe details for files sent on BitTorrent's SoShare
However, SoShare’s free terabyte offer bests them all. (Users can also remove their files at any time.)

BitTorrent is striving to grow beyond its core torrent clients with new projects that can be built out and improved upon with the help of its more than 170 million users.

SoShare is a beta project, so users might find bugs here and there. But as with its other Labs projects, such as Sync, BitTorrent encourages testers to experiment with the service and give feedback before it becomes a final product.